Senior Supplier Quality Engineer, Electrical

The role

You will build supplier quality processes from the ground up and shape high-reliability manufacturing for satellite ground stations. You will establish quality systems, develop the supply base, and partner with engineering and operations.

What you will do

• Design and implement the company's first supplier quality assurance system, documentation, and workflows
• Lead identification, evaluation, and qualification of new suppliers for key components
• Conduct supplier audits, performance reviews, and corrective action processes
• Collaborate with product design and manufacturing teams on DFM, NPI, and pilot builds
• Support defining supplier KPIs and establish reporting mechanisms
• Drive resolution of supplier quality issues through root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action
• Support the development of incoming inspection plans and testing protocols
• Act as a hands-on technical liaison between internal engineering teams and external manufacturing partners
• Own capacity expansion readiness and production ramp-up at suppliers
• Develop and implement supplier technical requirements and quality flow downs

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field
• 5+ years of experience in Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, Supplier Development, or a related discipline
• Significant hands-on experience leading and managing supplier quality activities for electrical and electronic (EE) components and assemblies
• Strong knowledge of PCB fabrication and PCBA/SMT manufacturing processes
• Working knowledge of applicable IPC standards, including IPC-A-600, IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC-6012, and IPC-2221/2222
• Experience conducting supplier quality-system and manufacturing process audits
• Experience leading supplier problem-solving activities using containment, 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone analysis, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and effectiveness verification
• Experience managing NCR/MRB activities, deviations/concessions, supplier corrective actions, and supplier product or process changes
• Hands-on experience leading APQP/PPAP activities
• Experience with AS9100 quality-management-system requirements and AS9102 First Article Inspection
• Ability to travel up to 25% domestically and internationally

Nice to have

• Experience with RF components, electrical components, cable and wire-harness assemblies, and electromechanical products
• Experience in the aerospace, space, satellite, telecommunications, automotive, or defense industries
• Experience supporting low-volume, high-complexity, high-reliability products from early-stage development through production ramp-up
• Experience working in a startup or rapidly growing company and developing new supplier quality processes, procedures, and supplier management systems
• Experience building scalable supplier qualification, performance-management, change-control, and corrective-action processes
• Familiarity with ERP, PLM, MES, and digital quality-management systems
• Lean Six Sigma, ASQ CQE, CQA, or another relevant quality certification
• Experience using data analysis and reporting tools to monitor supplier performance and identify quality trends

About the company

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. They design, build, and rapidly deploy scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions.